Micro-actuation apparatus for head ABS planarity (PTR) control during slider machining

Abstract

An apparatus and method of machining sliders to obtain the optimum PTR for each slider. An array of MEMS devices configured for angular actuation are provided, and a slider is placed in each MEMS device of the array. The ion milling of the sliders is controlled individually for each slider based on the relationship of the ion angle and relative etch rates of the slider components. The MEMS devices are controlled to ensure the ion incidence angle for each slider is such that the desired PTR of each slider is achieved.

1. A method of controlling machining of a slider, the method comprising:
 measuring a parameter of the slider; 
 placing the slider in a micro-electro-mechanical system device capable of angular actuation; and 
 controlling an orientation of the slider during machining as a function of the measured parameter by actuating the micro-electro-mechanical system device. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1  wherein the parameter of the slider measured comprises a planarity of a plurality of materials on the slider. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2  wherein machining comprises ion milling. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3  wherein controlling an orientation of the slider during machining is further based on a relationship between an angle at which an ion beam contacts the slider and a mill rate of each material on the slider. 
     
     
       5. A method of individually controlling machining of a component in an array of components, the method comprising:
 measuring a parameter of each component in the array of components; 
 placing the array of components in machining device having an array of micro-electro-mechanical system devices configured for individual control, so that each component is associated with a micro-electro-mechanical system device; and 
 controlling each micro-electro-mechanical system device during machining based on the measured parameter of the component associated with that micro-electro-mechanical system device. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5  and further comprising setting a duration time of the machining and wherein controlling each micro-electro-mechanical system device during machining is further based on a machining rate of the measured parameter. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 5  wherein the component comprises a plurality of materials and the parameter of the component measured comprises a planarity of the plurality of materials of the component. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7  wherein machining comprises ion milling. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8  wherein controlling an orientation of the component during machining is further based on a relationship between an angle at which an ion beam contacts the component and a mill rate of each material of the component. 
     
     
       10. A method of controlling the pole tip recession of a slider, the method comprising:
 measuring a pole tip recession on the slider; 
 placing the slider in a micro-electro-mechanical system device capable of angular actuation; and 
 controlling an orientation of the slider during an ion mill etch process as a function of the measured pole tip recession by actuating the micro-electro-mechanical system device. 
 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10  wherein controlling an orientation of the slider during the ion mill etch process is based on a relationship between an angle at which an ion beam contacts the slider and an etch rate of pole tip material and slider substrate material. 
     
     
       12. A method of controlling the pole tip recession of each slider on an array of sliders, the method comprising:
 measuring a pole tip recession of each slider in the array of sliders; 
 placing the array of sliders in an ion mill machine having an array of micro-electro-mechanical system devices configured for individual control, so that each slider is associated with a micro-electro-mechanical system device; and 
 controlling each micro-electro-mechanical system device during machining based on the measured pole tip recession of the slider associated with that micro-electro-mechanical system device. 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12  wherein controlling each micro-electro-mechanical system device during machining comprises controlling an angle of the micro-electro-mechanical system device based on a relationship between an angle at which an ion beam contacts the slider air bearing surface and an etch rate of pole tip material and slider substrate material. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 13  wherein the micro-electro-mechanical system device comprises an electrostatically actuated device and controlling the angle of the micro-electro-mechanical system device comprises applying a voltage to the micro-electro-mechanical system device. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 14  wherein the electrostatically actuated device comprises a shuttle based positioning device configured for steady state static positioning during non-actuation. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 13  wherein the micro-electro-mechanical system device comprises a bimorph thermal expansion actuation device and controlling the angle of the micro-electro-mechanical system device comprises controlling a temperature of the bimorph actuation device. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 13  wherein the micro-electro-mechanical system device comprises a piezoelectric actuation device and controlling the angle of the micro-electro-mechanical system device comprises controlling a voltage across the piezoelectric actuation device. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 13  wherein the micro-electro-mechanical system device comprises a shape memory actuation device and controlling the angle of the micro-electro-mechanical system device comprises controlling a parameter related to shape memory of the actuation device. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 18  wherein the parameter comprises a change in temperature. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 18  wherein the parameter comprises an electrical current. 
     
     
       21. A method of machining an array of sliders to obtain a desired pole tip recession on an air bearing surface of each slider, the method comprising:
 associating a micro-electro-mechanical system device with each slider of the array; 
 machining the slider air bearing surface of each slider in the array with an ion beam; and 
 controlling each micro-electro-mechanical systems device to obtain a desired location of the slider air bearing surface with respect to an angle of the ion beam. 
 
     
     
       22. The method of  claim 21  wherein the micro-electro-mechanical system device comprises an electrostatically actuated device in controlling each micro-electro-mechanical systems device comprises applying a voltage to the micro-electro-mechanical system device. 
     
     
       23. The method of  claim 22  wherein the electrostatically actuated device comprises a shuttle based micro-electro-mechanical system device configured for steady state static positioning during non-actuation. 
     
     
       24. The method of  claim 21  wherein the micro-electro-mechanical system device comprises a bimorph thermal expansion actuation device and controlling each micro-electro-mechanical system device comprises controlling a temperature of the bimorph actuation device. 
     
     
       25. The method of  claim 21  wherein the micro-electro-mechanical system device comprises a piezoelectric actuation device and controlling the micro-electro-mechanical system device comprises controlling a voltage across the piezoelectric actuation device. 
     
     
       26. The method of  claim 21  wherein the micro-electro-mechanical system device comprises a shape memory actuation device and controlling the micro-electro-mechanical system device comprises controlling a parameter related to the shape memory of the actuation device. 
     
     
       27. The method of  claim 26  wherein the parameter comprises a change in temperature. 
     
     
       28. The method of  claim 26  wherein the parameter comprises an electric current. 
     
     
       29. An apparatus for machining an array of sliders, the apparatus comprising:
 an array of micro-electro-mechanical system devices; and 
 a control system, the control system comprising:
 a data acquisition unit for acquiring data relating to the pole tip recession of a slider to be machined; 
 a process controller to control an etching process; and 
 a micro-electro-mechanical system driver to individually control each micro-electro-mechanical system device in the micro-electro-mechanical system device array. 
 
 
     
     
       30. The apparatus of  claim 29  and further comprising an in-situ measuring device for measuring a pole tip recession of a slider. 
     
     
       31. The apparatus of  claim 29  and further comprising a plurality of sliders formed on a web. 
     
     
       32. The apparatus of  claim 29  and further comprising a user interface display. 
     
     
       33. The apparatus of  claim 29  wherein the control system further comprises a controller for correlating an etch rate of a pole region on a slider and an ion incidence angle of the ion beam. 
     
     
       34. The apparatus of  claim 33  wherein the control system further comprises a controller for correlating an etch rate of a substrate of the slider and an ion incidence angle of the ion beam.